An increasing number of countries are leasing land abroad to sustain and secure their food production

An increasing number of countries are leasing land abroad to sustain and secure their food production

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Description:
The world regions are sharply divided in terms of their capacity
to use science in promoting agricultural productivity in order
to achieve food security and reduce poverty and hunger. For every
US$100 of agricultural output, developed countries spend
US$2.16 on public agricultural research and development
(R&D), whereas developing countries spend only US$0.55 (IFPRI,
2008). Total agricultural R&D spending in developing
countries increased from US$3.7 billion (1991) to US$4.4 billion
(2000), or by 1.6% annually (IFPRI, 2008). This spending
was largely driven by Asia, where annual spending increased by
3.3 percent. Today, Asia accounts for 42% of total agricultural
R&D spending in developing countries (with China and India
accounting for 18 and 10%, respectively). In Africa, agricultural
R&D expenditure declined slightly, by 0.4%/year. Although Africa
is geographically large, its share in R&D spending is only
13%. Latin America accounts for 33% (with Brazil being respo ...

Potential for cropland expansionCurrent projections suggest that an additional 120 million ha
– an area twice the size of France or one-third that of India – will
be needed to support the traditional growth in food production
by 2030, mainly in deve...

Biofuels production 2005, by country (ethanol and biodiesel)Production of crops for biofuels also competes with food production
(Banse et al., 2008). Indeed, the corn equivalent of the
energy used on a few minutes drive could feed a person for a
day, while a full tank of ethan...

By Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

FAO Food price index (FFPI)The current world food crisis is the result of the combined effects of competition for cropland
from the growth in biofuels, low cereal stocks, high oil prices, speculation in food
markets and extreme weather events. T...

By Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Selected drought events in Africa, 1981-1999, and livestock impactsWater scarcity in terms of drought or depleted groundwater
could therefore have great impacts on livestock and rangelands.
These interactions are also complex. While drought can
directly threaten livestock, other fact...

By Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Trends in productivity 1981-2003 (greening and land degradation)Unsustainable practices in irrigation and production may lead
to increased salinization of soil, nutrient depletion and erosion.
An estimated 950 million ha of salt-affected lands occur
in arid and semi-arid regions, ...

By Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Trends in urban and rural populations, less developed regions, 1960-2030 (estimates and projections) According to the latest UN estimates, almost all of the
world’s population growth between 2000 and 2030 will be
concentrated in urban areas in developing countries (Figure
32). By 2030, almost 60% of the people in dev...

By Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Trends in world agricultural exportsThe availability of food within a specific country can be guaranteed
in two ways: Either by food production in the country itself
or by trade. The first option has been discussed extensively
in the previous chapters. ...